Sinn Féin supporters should not take the electorate for granted and expect to easily win power at the next election, Shane Coleman has said. 

In Mary Lou McDonald’s own words, the largest opposition party had a “disappointing” weekend and is expected to be only the third largest party in local government. 

Meanwhile, coalition partners Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are fighting it out for first place. 

“I wrote a piece the Sunday before saying I thought Fianna Fáil would be close to being the biggest party with Fine Gael - I thought they’d get over 20%,” Shane told Newstalk Breakfast listeners. 

“People looked at me like I had two heads and were saying, ‘What, sure they’re at 15% in the polls?’” 

Mary Lou McDonald speaks to media in the count centre Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

For years, Sinn Féin has comfortably led in opinion polls. 

However, early this month one found it tied with Fine Gael for the lead and Shane believes it is possible Simon Harris could win the party an historic fourth term in power. 

“The real lesson I’m taking from this is do not take the Irish electorate for granted,” he said. 

“They are incredibly volatile; for the last four years, the narrative has been ‘when, not if Sinn Féin lead the next Government’ - political correspondents bought into that as well. 

“Anyone who tells you how the next General Election is going to play out [is guessing]. 

“At the moment, the Government are favourites to be re-elected; it’ll either be Micheál Martin or Simon Harris as the next Taoiseach. 

“That’s at the moment - but that could change.”  

Both Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin have ruled out an early poll and said the current Dáil will run to its full five-year term.

Main image: Shane Coleman.